alt236 Development

HSG X5A Tablet

I recently received a HSG X5A-G tablet for a project of mine.

It is actually quite nice, apart from a couple of hiccups with the battery meter (more about this below).

Pictures

Back Front Motherboard LCD Panel Motherboard Side 2 (more info)

Device Description

Sold as: A1CS X5A / G11, It actually is a X5A-G
Purchased from: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004CT9678

• Shipped ROM Info:
• Model Number: X6D
• Firmware: 2.1update1
• Kernel: 2.6.29 root@localhost #153
• Build Number: X6D1.1

• Motherboard Markings:
• HSG7001A_V3(TWO TOUCH)
• (2010_08_08)

• LCD Panel Markings:
• Top Label: LW700AT9010  V6C15019CL00007
• Bottom Label: T-517000008302 | 517000008302 | 3972S003487 | 907010502

• Back Label Markings:
• MIDX5A

• Battery Info:
• -T423877 1300mAh 7.4V
• +HY1013110109

• Features:
• 4GB NAND
• G-sensor
• Multitouch
• no FWDN toggle on PCB
• HDMI
• Full size SD slot
• Minijack
• Mini USB
• Standard USB
• Does not charge via USB It does try to charge via USB but the drain is more than the charging current because the tablet cannot be switched off when the USB cable is plugged in.

• Comments:

Even thought the battery meter on it cannot be trusted (it never gives 100%  and quickly drops to 60% where it stays for a while until it drops to  10% where it stays forever before shutting down) I can get 4-6 hours out of it with WiFi on.

The main issue is that the inaccurate reading seems to be software based. As Chinese manufacturers do not release their Android source (violating the GPL) it can be hard to fix until HSG releases their Kernel source. The closest thing we have now, is the Telechips source code, which does not boot the tablet - it can produce useful modules though.

Web links

• Slatedroid forums for X5A tablets and clones: www.slatedroid.com/index.php?board=118.0
• XDA Dev forum post for X5A tablets: forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=757992
• Chinese Digitals Community forum: www.chinadigitalcomm.com/hsg-x5a-mid/
• HSG main website: www.huashiguang.com/MID.html
• Telechips Kernel Source: www.telechips.com/technical_support/kor/opensource/opensource_list.asp
• AndroTab (contains developer information for cheap tablets): http://androtab.info/telechips
• XDA page about an unofficial Cyanogen port: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1101094

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